Pad Kra Pao is one of Thailand’s most popular dishes. Stir-fried in a wok with chicken, garlic, chillies and holy basil, it is usually served with jasmine rice and very often topped with a fried egg.
Quick to cook, this Thai classic gets much of its distinctive character from holy basil, known as kaphrao in Thai. This chicken Pad Kra Pao recipe includes the traditional sauces along with practical alternatives if some Thai ingredients are difficult to find.
At the table with Portail Asie
Chicken Pad Kra Pao
Make Pad Kra Pao with chicken, holy basil, garlic and chilli, served with jasmine rice and optionally topped with a Thai-style fried egg.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cooking time
- 10 min
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 2
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spice level
- 3/5
- Cuisine
- Thailand
- Dish type
- Main dish
Last checked: October 15, 2026
About this recipe
Version: Traditional
Pad Kra Pao is one of Thailand’s most common everyday stir-fried dishes. The defining ingredient is holy basil (kaphrao), stir-fried quickly with garlic, chilli and meat over high heat. It is typically served over jasmine rice and is often topped with a Thai-style fried egg (khai dao).
Do not substitute: Whenever possible, use true holy basil rather than sweet basil or Thai basil, as its peppery aroma is central to the identity of Pad Kra Pao. Avoid adding large amounts of vegetables or turning the dish into a saucy stir-fry: traditional Pad Kra Pao is fast-cooked, intensely seasoned and centred on the meat, chilli, garlic and holy basil.
Ingredients
Adjust servings to suit your needs.
For the Pad Kra Pao
- 300 g Minced chickenor chicken chopped very finely
- 5 cloves Garlic
- 2 Thai chilliesadjust to taste
- 1 Mild red chillioptional
- 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp Oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 2 tsp Fish sauce
- 1½ tsp Dark soy sauceoptional
- 1½ tsp Sugar
- 2 tbsp Water
- 1½ cups Holy basil leavesloosely packed
To serve
- 2 portions Cooked jasmine rice
- 2 Eggsoptional
Preparation steps
In a small bowl, combine the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, fish sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar and water. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Crush or finely chop the garlic with the Thai chillies and mild red chilli. Using a mortar gives a texture closer to traditional Thai preparation.
Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat. Add the garlic and chilli mixture and stir-fry briefly until highly aromatic, taking care not to burn the garlic.
Add the minced chicken. Stir-fry, breaking it apart with a spatula, until almost completely cooked.
Pour in the prepared sauce. Stir-fry over high heat for 1 to 2 minutes so the chicken absorbs the seasoning.
Turn off the heat or reduce it to the lowest setting, then add the holy basil leaves. Toss quickly until they just begin to wilt.
Serve immediately over hot jasmine rice. Add a fried egg to each portion if desired.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The dish does not taste like authentic Pad Kra Pao
Probable cause: Sweet basil or Thai basil was used instead of holy basil.
Solution: Use true holy basil whenever possible. If it is unavailable, use the suggested substitute but expect a different aroma.
The garlic and chillies burn
Probable cause: The wok is too hot for too long before the chicken is added.
Solution: Stir-fry the garlic and chilli mixture only briefly until fragrant, then add the chicken immediately.
The chicken releases too much liquid
Probable cause: The pan is overcrowded or the heat is too low.
Solution: Use a hot wok or frying pan and cook over high heat so the chicken fries rather than steams.
The Pad Kra Pao is too salty
Probable cause: Too much fish sauce, soy sauce or oyster sauce was added.
Solution: Measure the sauces before cooking and adjust only after tasting the finished stir-fry.
The holy basil loses its aroma
Probable cause: The basil was cooked for too long.
Solution: Add the holy basil only at the very end and toss briefly until the leaves just begin to wilt.
Portail Asie tips
Use real holy basil whenever possible, as it gives Pad Kra Pao its distinctive identity. Prepare all the ingredients before heating the wok because the cooking process is very fast. Cook over fairly high heat and add the basil only at the end to preserve its aroma. For a milder version, reduce the number of chillies rather than removing chilli entirely.
Substitutions and alternatives
- Holy basil
- Use regular basil if holy basil is unavailable. Thai basil can also be used, but its aroma is different from true holy basil.
- Thai chillies
- Use another small hot chilli available locally and adjust the quantity according to your heat tolerance.
- Minced chicken
- Pad Kra Pao can also be made with pork, beef, seafood or a plant-based protein.
Watch the preparation
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Order this dish in Thailand
Thai name:ผัดกะเพราไก่
Say it simply:Pad Kra Pao Gai
Show this:ขอผัดกะเพราไก่หนึ่งจานครับ/ค่ะ
Meaning:One chicken Pad Kra Pao, please.
Where to find the ingredients
Holy basil, fish sauce, oyster sauce and Thai chillies are available in many Asian grocery stores. Fresh holy basil is common in markets and supermarkets in Thailand. It can be harder to find in Europe, so check Thai or Asian grocery stores and use one of the alternatives listed in the recipe if necessary.
